Connor Hellebuyck is reportedly starting to consider a return to the Jets, and he may not get a warm welcome if he does.
David Pagnotta said there are "whispers now that he's contemplating when is the most appropriate time" to get back to Winnipeg.
The money is piling up against him. A website tracking his lost salary shows him giving up $38,660 a day while the Jets keep him suspended for not honouring his contract.
"You start to see the paychecks aren't comin' in, and the family's saying, 'What goin' on?', and everything starts to mount," Pagnotta said. "It's tough on ya."
Hellebuyck expected a deal well before or during camp. It never came, and the Jets set a high bar for any return.
The room is the complication. Pagnotta said "some guys in that room" wouldn't welcome him back with open arms.
Scott Arniel's Jets have found chemistry without their star goalie
Winnipeg is 3-1-1 without him, with Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson holding the crease. The chemistry that seemed missing last season looks like it's back.
Some players likely remember his comments after last season, when he suggested the team wasn't good enough to compete for the Cup. That kind of thing lingers in a room.
-
He carries an $8,500,000 cap hit and has drawn interest from Buffalo, Utah and Carolina. No deal has come together.
Hellebuyck should come back and play. Sitting at home costs him money and trade value, while a strong start in Winnipeg would remind every buyer exactly what he's worth.
It's like walking back into the office after storming out, only to find everyone has been getting along fine without you.
Scott Arniel and Kevin Cheveldayoff would need to handle it carefully. A return that splits the room could undo everything this group has built in October.
The Jets host Minnesota on Tuesday, with attendance already slipping at Canada Life Centre.
Hellebuyck may decide it's time to come back. Whether his teammates are ready to welcome him is a question no paycheque can answer.
Should the Jets welcome Connor Hellebuyck back if he returns?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Connor Hellebuyck trade pitch collapses as another destination gains attention
